Prospects of ecumenical dialogue in the early works of the Holy Bishop Nikolaj Velimirović

Abstract

Both in social and theological spheres we can see a tendency to the strict definition of the relation of the Bishop Nikolaj Velimirivić to ecumenical dialogue, which in itself is a kind of simplification. In this article an attempt is made to overcome this simplification and to highlight the main features of his theological position vis-à-vis the ecumenical movement and the creation of the frames for ecumenical dialogue. With time the Holy Bishop will change his initial views on the ecumenical movement, but they are certainly important for understanding the historical and theological context of the development of the ecumenical dialogue in the beginning of the 20th century. The main aim of the writing of this article is the underlining and highlighting the very meaning of ecumenism, which for Bishop Nikolaj was not a unity on purely utilitarian and political basis, but a certain type of the panhumanist universalism, which carries within itself the potential ideals of the allhuman equality and spiritual brotherhood. Therefore we do not consider the before mentioned type of the institutialized ecumenical movement, which relativizes the Church, its dogmas, canonical structure and liturgical tradition and placing it on the same level with all other Christian denominations, who take part in the before mentioned movement, but we speak about the spiritual dialogue of the brothers in Spirit, notwithstanding to what confessions they belong to.